I was recently watching the movie, "The Name of the Rose", in which Sean Connery is a Franciscan friar, who is called upon to solve a deadly mystery in medieval times. It takes place at a Benedictine abbey, where one monk died, but before you know it, monks are dropping like flies. It's not bad, as films go, but I'm partial to Connery myself.

There is one monk who regularly and repeatedly whips his own back with a homemade torture device and gets perverse pleasure from the exercise. Except for the perversion, I've become aware that this is called 'mortification'. Of course, I've looked up the word for myself, but I think this presents a problem for me.

I've always said things like, "If I were pulled over by the Highway Patrol, mortified could not touch the half of it!""I'd be mortified if I split my trousers like Sally just did!""To be trusted with a solo in the church Choir, I'd then be terribly mortified to sound like a frog in heat!"

What I'd like to see is a Dr. Goodword article on the word mortified, or mortify, if that is his preference. I'd like to see all of the angles to this 'good' word from our 'good' Doc.

Thanks for all your 'good' work,Sardith

“The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.” ~Mark Twain, [pen name for Samuel Clemens], American author and humorist, (1835-1910)~

However, I don't understand why the 'Search' function did not produce that same Dr. Goodword beauty, when I used any of the words: mortify, mortified or mortification.

Totally stumped.

Sardith

“The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.” ~Mark Twain, [pen name for Samuel Clemens], American author and humorist, (1835-1910)~

“The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.” ~Mark Twain, [pen name for Samuel Clemens], American author and humorist, (1835-1910)~

So, what y'alls gossa do is first look HERE to see if it has been done. Then, if you want to keep it on the Agora, go to Goodword Discussion and sort them by Subject or Date. Flip through the pages until you get to the word you want and make your post in that thread. A bit of a pain in the lower section of the spinal column, but it works.

Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.

You read my mind, Slava, since those were my next questions. You are certainly correct about the results of that rerouting-of-the-system, and the pains in arriving there.

Perry Lassiter wrote:For the record, the act is called flagellation

Thanks, Perry, nice to know the word, mortified, is still safe for my usage.

Sardith

“The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.” ~Mark Twain, [pen name for Samuel Clemens], American author and humorist, (1835-1910)~